Three-in-one art pack

ABSTRACT

A storage device for writing or drawing implements includes a holder adapted to receive writing or drawing implements. A paper roll is wrapped around the holder. A guide is positioned adjacent to the paper roll and against which the paper can bear. A base is attached to the holder. Rotation of the base effects rotation of the holder and dispensation of paper from the roll past the guide. A sharpener is located in the base of the device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a storage device for writing or drawingimplements. More particularly, though not exclusively, the inventionrelates to a three-in-one art pack for crayons and having a built-inpaper roll and sharpening device.

It is common for children to carry pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners,erasers and other items in standard pencil cases. A small pad of writingor drawing paper might also be carried in a pencil case, but writingpads are usually too large to fit within a pencil case.

Pencil sharpeners or crayon sharpeners are usually a separate itemcarried within the pencil case. Children often leave pencil shavingsinside the pencil case, making for a very messy affair.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantiallyameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages and/or more generallyto provide an improved storage device for writing implements.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improvedstorage device for writing or drawing implements, also serving todispense a writing or drawing medium.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

There is disclosed herein a storage device for writing or drawingimplements, the device comprising:

-   -   a holder adapted to receive writing or drawing implements, the        holder being elongate and having a longitudinal axis,    -   a media roll wrapped around the holder about said longitudinal        axis,    -   a guide positioned adjacent to the media roll and against which        the media can bear, and    -   a base attached to the holder, wherein:    -   rotation of the base about said longitudinal axis effects        rotation of the holder and dispensation or retraction of media        past the guide from or to the media roll.

Preferably the holder is formed as a pair of half-shell pieces.

Preferably a sharpening device is located within the base.

Preferably the sharpening device includes a number of blades which arefixed with respect to the base and an opening through which the writingor drawing implement can be inserted for presentation to the blades,such that upon rotation of the drawing or writing implement with respectto the base, the writing or drawing implement is sharpened by theblades.

Preferably the base includes a shavings compartment.

Preferably the guide is mounted to the storage device in such a mannerthat it can be held manually to prevent rotation of the guide when thebase is rotated.

Preferably the storage device includes a cap.

Preferably cap includes thread by which it is engaged with correspondingthread on the holder.

In one embodiment the cap includes an opening through which the writingor drawing implements can be removed.

Preferably there is located between the base and the holder a ringproviding smooth surfaces against which an edge of the media can bear.

Preferably a similar ring is provided between the cap and the holder.

Preferably the rings each include a tab to which the guide is attached.

Preferably there is a pair of said guides and each ring has a pair ofdiametrically opposed said tabs so as to support said guides in mutuallydiametrically opposed positions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional elevational view of a three-in-oneart pack,

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional end-elevational view of thethree-in-one art pack of FIG. 1 taken at II—II in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is another schematic cross-sectional elevational view of thethree-in-one art pack,

FIG. 4 is a schematic elevational view of the three-in-one art pack,

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional elevational view of the base ofthe art pack of FIGS. 1 to 4,

FIG. 6 is a schematic elevational view of the base,

FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the base,

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective illustration of the ring,

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view of a guide piece,

FIG. 10 is a schematic bottom elevation of the base,

FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view of the base,

FIG. 12 is a schematic end elevational view of the three-in-one art packwith the cap removed,

FIG. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional elevational view of an art packhaving an alternative cap,

FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional elevational view of an art packhaving yet another cap, and

FIG. 15 is a schematic elevational view of the art pack of either one ofFIG. 13 or 14.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted athree-in-one art pack 10: Art pack 10 is typically formed of mouldedplastics material and includes a crayon compartment 11 defined by acrayon holder 18 and within which crayons 14 are stored. Instead ofcrayons, pens, pencils, paintbrushes or other drawing or writingimplements can be stored within the compartment 11.

The art pack 10 has attached thereto a base 13. Base 13 might bethreadedly engaged with the crayon holder 18. Located within the base 13is a sharpening device 15 and a shavings compartment 19. The sharpeningdevice 15 has formed integrally therewith a number of blades 21 as bestillustrated in FIG. 11. As an alternative, the blades 21 might bemetallic pieces attached to the base.

Attached to the other end of the crayon holder 11 is a cap 12. Like base13, 12 might be threadedly engaged with the crayon holder 18.

A pair of paper guides 16 extent longitudinally of the Art pack 10.Located between these guides 16 and the outer surface of the crayonholder 18 there is wrapped a roll of media 17 such as paper.

A pair of rings 22 is provided about the crayon holder 18. One ring 22is located between the base 13 and the roll 17 and the other ring islocated between the cap 12 and the roll of media. These rings serve as ameans by which the guides 16 are supported and also as a means forproviding a low-friction surface for the edge of the media 17.

As shown in FIG. 8, each ring 22 includes a pair of diametricallyopposed tabs 23, which are received within tab recesses 24 in each ofthe paper guides 16.

In the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 to 4, the cap 12 has a roundedtip. This cap must be removed to gain access to the crayons 14. In theembodiments depicted in FIG. 13, the cap 25 has a large opening 27through which the crayons can be removed and inserted. In the embodimentof FIG. 14, the cap 26 has a small hole 28 therein to enable decorativeitems such as cartoon figurines to be mounted on top of the cap.

In use, the cap 12 is removed to enable one or more of the crayons to beremoved. If the crayon or crayons is/are blunt, they can be sharpened byinsertion through the opening 20 interface 13 such that the crayon bearsagainst the blades 21. The crayon can then be rotated just like a pencilin a conventional pencil sharpener. The guides 16 can then be graspedand the base 13 can be rotated. To this end, it might be noted that thebase 13 can have gripping ribs 29 thereon. To remove the shavings, whichhave been stored in the shavings compartment, the sharpener can bepulled out and the shavings dispensed with, and the sharpener can thenbe reattached to the shaving compartment by push-fit for example.

Upon rotation of the base 13, the crayon holder 11 rotates together withthe roles 17 of media such as paper. An end of the paper dispenses pastthe nearest one of the two paper guides 16 and presents itself to begrasped and pulled by the hand that is not grasping the guides. Morepaper can then be pulled out to be drawn or written upon. The base 13can be rotated in the opposite or same direction to retract it back forstorage past the guide against which it was dispensed.

It should be appreciated that modifications and alterations obvious tothose skilled in the art are not to be considered as beyond the scope ofthe present invention. For example, each paper guide might be providedwith a serrated edge to enable a portion of the paper to be torn off.Also, instead of threaded engagement between the cap and the holder, atight fit or snap fit could be provided.

1. A storage device for writing or drawing implements, the devicecomprising: a holder adapted to receive writing or drawing implements,the holder being elongate and having a longitudinal axis, wherein theholder is formed as a pair of half-shell pieces, a media roll wrappedaround the holder about said longitudinal axis, a guide positionedadjacent to the media roll and against which the media can bear, and abase attached to the holder, wherein: rotation of the base about saidlongitudinal axis effects rotation of the holder and dispensation orretraction of media past the guide from or to the media roll.
 2. Thestorage device of claim 1 wherein the guide is mounted to the storagedevice in such a manner that it can be held manually to prevent rotationof the guide when the base is rotated.
 3. The storage device of claim 1including a cap attached to the holder.
 4. The storage device of claim 3wherein the cap includes thread by which it is engaged withcorresponding thread on the holder.
 5. The storage device of claim 3wherein the cap includes an opening through which the writing or drawingimplements can be removed.
 6. The storage device of claim 1 whereinthere is located between the base and the media roll a ring providingsmooth surfaces against which an edge of the media roll can bear.
 7. Thestorage device of claim 6 wherein a ring is provided between the cap andthe media roll.
 8. The storage device of claim 7 wherein the rings eachinclude a tab to which the guide is attached.
 9. The storage device ofclaim 8 wherein there is a pair of guides and each ring has a pair ofdiametrically opposed tabs so as to support said guides in mutuallydiametrically opposed positions.
 10. A storage device for writing ordrawing implements, the device comprising: a holder adapted to receivewriting or drawing implements, the holder being elongate and having alongitudinal axis, a media roll wrapped around the holder about saidlongitudinal axis, a guide positioned adjacent to the media roll andagainst which the media can bear, and a base attached to the holder,wherein a sharpening device is located within the base, and wherein:rotation of the base about said longitudinal axis effects rotation ofthe holder and dispensation or retraction of media past the guide fromor to the media roll.
 11. The storage device of claim 10 wherein thesharpening device includes a number of blades which are fixed withrespect to the base and an opening through which the writing or drawingimplement can be inserted for presentation to the blades, such that uponrotation of the drawing or writing implement with respect to the base,the writing or drawing implement is sharpened by the blades.
 12. Thestorage device of claim 10 wherein the base includes a shavingscompartment.